MMO Game Thread: Pirates vs Mets, 1:10 PM

The New York Mets (63-54) maintained their 4.5 game lead atop the National League East despite consecutive extra-inning losses to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Matt Harvey (11-7, 2.61) will get the start on Sunday as the Mets look to avoid getting swept. He will oppose left-hander Jeff Locke (6-7, 4.43) for the Bucs in a 1:10 PM matchup at Citi Field.

The Mets rank second in the majors with a 3.18 ERA, behind the St. Louis Cardinals who have a 2.60 ERA. New York leads the majors with a 1.15 WHIP and the club’s strikeout-to-walk rate of 3.39 is the third-best ratio in the majors.

Mets Starting Lineup

Juan Lagares, CF
Curtis Granderson, RF
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Daniel Murphy, 2B
Michael Cuddyer, 1B
Travis d’Arnaud, C
Ruben Tejada, SS
Matt Harvey, P

For a second straight day, the Mets dropped a game in extras, but the Nationals lost too so Mets maintain their lead. Yesterday, the Mets got a solid start from Niese and then 7 innings of nearly perfect work from the bullpen until Gilmartin ran out of gas and defensive mistakes allowed 2 runs in the top of the 14th. However, today is Harvey Day and we still have a 4.5 game lead in the east. Let’s get it done!

Harvey is 11-7 over 22 starts and 148.0 innings with a 2.61 ERA. Harvey has tossed back to back shutout starts going 7 and 8 innings. Overall since the All-Star break he has pitched 36.2 innings over 5 games with a 1.23 ERA over 26 K’s. One of his worst starts this season was against the Pirates where he allowed 7 ER over 4.0 innings. The Pirates have the following numbers against Matt:

Marte 0-5
Alvarez 3-5, 2 2B, HR
McCutchen 2-4, HR
Morse 0-3
Stewart 0-3
Walker 0-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Jeff Locke who is 6-7 over 22 starts with a 4.43 ERA over 124.0 innings. In his last four starts he has tossed 20.2 innings with a 6.53 ERA. Locke last faced the Mets back in 2013 where tossed 6.0 innings allowing only 1 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Jeff: